Material handling device



May 20, 1952 c. B. RlcHEY MATERIAL HANDLING DEVICE Filed Sept. 8, 1949 ,ul' AA IN V EN TOR.

CZAi/VC'I 5. F/C//ff Patented May 20, 1952 MATERIAL HANDLING `DEVICE Clarence B. Richey, Royal oak, Mich., -assignor to Dearborn Motors Corporation, Highland Park, Micha corporation of Delaware ApplicationSeptember 8, 1949, Serial No. 114,645

Claims. l

This invention relates to an improved material handling device and particularly to a convertible manure fork and bucket for tractor mounted loaders.

In recent yea-rs, the large scale vusage of tractors on farms has concurrently-resulted in the utilization `of ever-increasing -numbers Aof tractor mounted loading devices which have been advantageously employed by the farmer to accom- .plish many of the arduous lifting or material handling tasks that are always present on a farm. Likewise, the use of tractor mounted loaders Ain industry and construction work has steadily increased. Particularly in its .agricultural adaptations, the material engaging means on ythe loader takes -one of two common forms, namely a manure fork vand a bucket. A manure fork is very necessary in the handling of ,manure vor similar entangled brous material, while a bucket type of .container is the most desirable for handling of dirt, sand, gravel, or .similar materials.

It is an object of this invention to provide .a greatly improved material containing device which is `unusually wellsuited for agricultural loaders -in that it .may be conveniently converted from `a manure fork into a bucket type `of convtainer.

.Stillanotherobject of this invention is to `.provide .an unusually rugged and strong material handling device for la'loader which may, nevertheless, be economically manufactured by large quantity, low cost production methods.

Still another `object of this inventionis to `p rovide an improved manure fork construction which will permit the fork tines to be readily assembled to or removed from the device 'but which will also provide .an unusual degree of :rigid support Sfor such tines in their assembled position.

"The specific nature of this invention, aswell as other objects and advantages thereof, will 'become Aapparent `to those skilled in the art from 'the following detailed description, 'taken in :conjunction with the attached sheets oi drawings on whichpby way of preferred example only, is

`illustrated one embodiment of this invention:

'Figure 1 is a side elevational view-of the ma- ;terialhandling devicefembodying this invention, showing the -device 'when assembled as Ya Aama- -fterial "'bucket.

Figure 2 is -a side elevational view of Figure ll. '-Figure 3 is `a :vertical sectional view v4takenon the plane 3-3 .of 'Figure 2.

AFigure 4 is an enlarged scale rartialzsectional view taken on the plane 4-4 of Figure '3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged scale partial sectional View taken von .the plane 5 5 of Figure l.

As :shown on the drawings;

While-not limited thereto, the vnriaterialA handling .device embodying this invention may be conveniently utilized Ona tractor mounted loader of v the type ldescribed in my y,ce-pending application, Serial No. 114,646, filed concurrently herewith. 'ln such loaders, the material handling ,device is generally pil/@tally mounted between .a pair of ispaced arms I0 which are suitably ysecured to the hfree end of the yboom of 'the loader. In addition, a pair of dumping control links II `are conventionally provided -on the loader.

A` material handling device embodying this invention .comprises a welded ,assembly of platelike yelements defining a base plate portion I2, upstanding opposed .side wall portions I 3, and an upstanding rear-wall 'portion I4 mounted between side wall .portions vI 3 andihaving a generally arcuate .conguration, ,as viewed Ain vertical cross section. The bottom Aedge Ida of back wall I4 is welded yto .an intermediate :portion `of Athe base `plate V.I1-2. `The extreme Atop portion .of back -wall 'I4 .is rreversely bentas indicated at IIIb to con- .form to the r.configuration of the top edges of the side :plates fI3. vrit .aligned points on each of the `side walls .I13, a U-shaped mounting bracket II 5 is'we'lded,and the openings deiined by brackets I5 respectively v-receive the .ends of the arms I0 of the loader boom .and are pivotally secured thereto by ,suitable pins Illa. A pair of ears I6 are welded tothe top .portion .III'b ofthe back wall I4 respectivelyadjacent to side walls I3 and are .suitablyaperturedto receive a vpin I'Ia to pivotally :connectxthe dumping links I"I thereto. 'By virtue of these connections 'to the tractor vmounted loader (not shown), .the material handling device may 'be lifted, lowered, lor VVdumped 4in conventional -fashion.

An -upstanding `reinforcing plate II :has its bottom endwelded tothe rear edge of thebottom .pla'te `I2 .and 'its .top .edge welded to an `intermediate :portion of 1the 'back wall JI4. In this manner, back wall .I4 is eiec'tively lprovided with two spaced :apart .wall portions .in the vicinity of its juncture with .thebottom .plate I2. A `plurality of transversely-spaced notches .I4c A("lig..14)

fare formed along the :bottom .edge .of the :back

wall '14 `and "these 4notches are .preferably of a circular apertures I4c. A plurality of forked tines I8 are employed which have the conventional pointed end portions I8u, and throughout most of their length are of any conventional noncircular configuration, and preferably conform to the none-circular configuration of the apertures I4c so that they may be snugly inserted in such apertures. The other end Ib of each of the fork tines I8 is formed to a reduced area, circular cross section to permit such end portions to snugly project through the circular apertures Ila provided in the reinforcing plate I1. In this manner, displacement of the fork tines I8 relative to the device is prevented in the rearward direction by engagement of the shoulder I8c of the fork tines I8 with the front face of the reinforcing plate I1. Displacement of fork tines I8 in the direction to withdraw such tines from the device may be conveniently prevented by the insertion of cotter key I9 or similar de tachable fastening element onto the projecting end portion |8b.

With the described construction, it is apparent that the fork tines I8 are detachably fastened to the material handling device and may be conveniently removed or reassembled at any time. Furthermore, the tines are secured on the device with an unusual degree of rigidity. Any tendency of the tines to turn is resisted by the cooperation of the non-circular apertures I4b with the noncircular cross section of the tines. Also, the fork tines I8 are well supported to resist any bending stresses produced thereupon during usua1 loading operations by virtue of having spaced point engagement with the device through the apertures Mb and Ila respectively and by resting on the bottom plate I2. It is obvious, therefore, that the described construction will function as a manure fork in a very satisfactory manner.

In the event that it is desired to convert the heretofore described manure fork into a material bucket type of handling device, a pair of extension side plates are provided which are bolted to the side walls I3 respectively by bolts 2| in such manner as to form a continuation of the side.' walls I3. Also, an extension bottom plate 22 is provided having its lateral edges upturned as indicated at 22a to lie contiguous to the bottom portions of the extension side plates 20 and being bolted thereto by bolts 23. Projecting tabs 24 are welded to the rear edge of the extension bottom plate 22 and overlie the top face of base plate I2. Lastly, to provide support for the central portions of the extension bottom plate 22, a plurality of inverted U-shaped brackets 25 are welded to the top face of extension bottom plate 22 and define suitable recesses to provide sliding engagement with the projecting ends of the fork tines I8. Obviously, it is not necessary to provide a bracket 25 for each fork tine I8, and in the illustrated construction such a bracket is provided for four out of the seven fork tines.

` When the assembly of the extension side plates 20 and the extension bottom plate 22 is completed, the material handling device is adequately converted into a material bucket and the pointed ends I8a of fork tine I8 still project to a limited degree beyond the front of the extension bottom plate 22 to assist in scarifying or loosening the material to be loaded into the bucket.

It is therefore apparent that'this invention provides an unusually simple, rugged, yet economically manufacturable construction for a material handling device. The ease with which theg fork into a material bucket, or vice versa, colipled with the ease of removal or replacement of the fork tines, obviously makes the device very desirable for use on agricultural loaders. The interchangeable features have been accomplished without sacrificing in any manner the strength or rigidity of any of the critical components of the material handling device.

It will, of course, be understood that many details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A material handling device comprising platelike elements secured together to dene a bottom wall and an upstanding back wall, a reinforcing plate rigidly secured between said back wall and said bottom Wall and having connection with said bottom wall in spaced relation to the connection of said back wall with said bottom wall, said back wall and said reinforcing plate having a plurality of transversely spaced, aligned apertures therein, the apertures in said back wall being of substantially different area than the respectively aligned apertures in said reinforcing plate, and a rodlike tine inserted through each aligned pair of said apertures, each of said tines being proportioned to snugly engage said apertures and having a shoulder defining the juncture between the larger and smaller area portions thereof, thereby limiting displacement of said tines relative to said device in one direction, and detachable fastening means engageable with said tines to limit displacement of said tines in the opposite direction.

2. A material handling device for loaders comprising a bottom wall element, an upstanding back wall element including two spaced apart wall portions rigidly secured at their bottom edges to said bottom wall, one of said wall portions having a plurality of transversely spaced,

non-circular apertures therein, the other of said wall portions having a plurality of circular apertures therein respectively aligned with, and of smaller area than, said non-circular apertures, and a plurality of fork tines, each having a noncircular cross sectional portion snugly insertable in said non-circular apertures and a reduced area circular end portion insertable in said circular apertures, and means for detachably securing said fork tines against displacement relative to said fork portions.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said non-circular apertures constitute notches formed in the edges of said one wall portion contiguous to said back wall element, whereby said fork tines are supported by said bottom wall element.

4. A material handiing device comprising platelike members rigidly interconnected to define a bottom wall, an upstanding back wall and opposed side walls, a plurality of fork tines, means for securing said fork tines in transversely-spaced. forwardly projecting relationship to said bottom wall, whereby said device may. function as a manure fork, a pair of side wall extension plates secured to said side walls, an extension bottom wall having upturned lateral edges respectively contiguous to said side wall plates, means for detachably securing said upturned lateral edges to said side wall extension plates, and a hollow bracket onsaid extension bottom Wall slidably receiving onefof said fork tines to support the central portions of said extension bottom wall thereon, whereby said device may be converted to a materialbucket.

5. A material handling device comprising a plate-like bottom wall and spaced side Walls secured thereto, an upstanding back wall of arcuate configuration mounted between said side Walls and rigidly secured at its bottom edge to an intermediateportion of said bottom wall, a reinforcing plate 'secured between an edge of said bottom wall and an intermediate portion of said back wall, said back Wall and said reinforcing plate having.y a plurality of transversely-spaced, aligned apertures therein. the apertures in said back wall being of substantially different area than the respectively aligned apertures in said reinforcing plate, and a rod-like tine inserted through each aligned pair of said apertures. each of said tines being proportioned to snugly engage said apertures and having a shoulder defining the juncture between the'larger and smaller area portions thereof, thereby limiting displacement of f said tines relative to said device in one direction,

. and detachable fasteningmeans engageable with said tines to limit displacement of said tines in the opposite direction. CLARENCE B. RICHEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following referemreslV are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED SFA'l-ESy PATENTS 

